Debbie Goodrich
About Debbie
Debbie began her work with parrots at 7 years old when she owned her first pet parrot, Aimee the cockatiel. She learned, during her education at Santa Cruz, that parrots are far more than "just pets" from an amazing breeder called Fox's Feather Farm where she met Jade, her first long term parrot partner. He introduced her to the professional field of parrots first through the breeder and then on to becoming a professional parrot trainer as he helped her secure her professional career by being hired as a Curator of Fish and Birds at Rainforest Cafe shortly after graduating with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychobiology.
As an undergrad, she was honored to be selected to study Elephant Seal Behavior at Año Nuevo out of hundreds of applicants. She graduated by writing a senior thesis paper on Dolphin Reintroduction hoping dolphins could be retired and returned to the open ocean. Alas, she found through evidence, that reintroducing long term cetaceans is not an humane option.
Debbie's Work
Her professional work began with Rainforest Cafe where she was quickly promoted to a Curatorial position in Seattle. There, she established relationships with AZA accredited facilities such as Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo.
She is a professional member of IAATE(International Avian Animal Trainers and Educators), IMATA(International Marine Animal Trainers Association) and lifetime member of ABMA(Animal Behavior Management Alliance). She has lectured around the United States about parrot care and humane practices as well has performed with her amazing Ambassadors at over 2,000 educational programsin Washington State.
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She helped create Flight Club Foundation in 2013 dedicated to helping parrots and people globally. This work includes regular contributions to conferences, scientific articles and global visitations to the rainforest and other parrot-centered programs around the world. Her heart remains in Tambopata Research Center she visited in 2002.
She regularly contributes to science and has done work in tandem with Dr. Donald Brightsmith in literary research. She cannot wait to have her work with Flight Club Foundations Global Carbon Initiative take off! Her background in combined behavioral sciences offers a unique perspective as she approaches behavioral challenges.
